With 2011 shaping up to be the year of low-carbon motoring, many petrol heads out there might be concerned that speed, style and luxury are being sacrificed for greener qualities by leading manufacturers. This, however, is not the case and the world’s top motoring firms are proving that eco-friendly cars needn’t be tiny electric trundlers.
Two of the big hitters of the industry, BMW and Mercedes Benz, have tied their colours to the green motoring mast with the launch of hybrid vehicles that deliver all the lavish features their loyal customers expect of them in a refreshingly low-impact vehicle.
Here’s how they measure up:
Mercedes E300 BlueTEC HYBRID
Mercedes chose the Geneva Motor Show 2011 as a platform upon which to launch the company’s first ever hybrid diesel motor, the E300 BlueTEC. While the car possesses all the powerful, stylish, dynamic looks that Benz fans have come to love over the years, it also packs some wonderfully green features.
The E300 BlueTEC comes with a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine that is capable of 204hp, as well as a 15kW electric motor that aids acceleration and recuperates braking energy. Together, the diesel engine and electric motor deliver 224hp and a torque of more than 280Nm, while consuming just 4.1 litres of fuel per 100km (109g/km CO2 emissions).
In purely electric mode, the E300 BlueTEC can reach 35 km/h and cover shorter journeys, meaning that drivers can move through city traffic without having to engage the diesel engine or consume any fuel. The diesel engine also switches itself off when the vehicle coasts down from 80 km/h, with the electric motor keeping the car in ‘sailing’ mode by maintain a constant road speed.
The combination of the electric motor and diesel engine make the E300 BlueTEC wonderfully agile in acceleration and fabulously fuel efficient. The finishing touches on the vehicle ensure that it competes with the likes of the Mercedes A-Class and S-Class, with ample space and storage in the car and the peerless comfort of a Mercedes Benz.
Expected to be released to the general public later this year, car insurance groups for the E300 BlueTEC have yet to be announced – for best priced car insurance groups click here
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By Mercedes once proves that the “eternal” their model G-Class has more to show and although now 31 years on the market, it not only continues to be attractive, but can also be environmentally friendly. At the exhibition in Geneva Germans showed a new modification of the G-Class, received the name G 350 BlueTEC, which is equipped with revolutionary technology, making it even more environmentally friendly by G 350 CDI. BlueTEC Mercedes G 350 relies on a diesel 3.0-liter V6 engine delivering power 210 h.p. and a maximum torque of 540 Nm. available in the range 1600-2400 rev/min. However, the assembly has a technological feature. This is called AdBlue graft whose function is to be injected into the exhaust and reduce NOx emissions. For this purpose, fitted separate tank which is completely filled as is sufficient to elapse 12,000 km. Subsequently AdBlue injection helps to release ammonia, which in turn converts to 80% of nitrogen oxides harmless nitrogen and water clean.
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